Apple tree named `Belle Cox`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of apple tree called Belle Cox is a mutation of Bledisloe Cox&#39;s Orange Pippin variety, and is characterized by its fruit which has broad red stripes of 50-70% on a yellow-green background after ten weeks in cool storage. Belle Cox also blooms 5-7 days later than its parent, Cox&#39;s Orange Pippin (Bledisloe).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct apple variety. Thenew cultivar is designated `Belle Cox` and is a mutation of theBledisloe Cox's Orange Pippin variety.

After the variety was discovered by the Petitioners at Poukawa Orchardsit was asexually reproduced in 1984 and planted at the Petitionersproperty, Poukawa Orchards, Hastings, New Zealand by budding on torootstock of the M793 variety. The fruit was first observed on thereproduced plants in 1987. Asexual propagation by budding shows that theunique combination of characteristics and distinctive colour come trueto form and are established and transmitted through succeedingpropagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying photograph shows typical specimens of the fruit of thenew variety as depicted in colours as nearly true as is reasonablypossible to make the same in a colour illustration of this character.

FIG. 1: shows a typical collection of mature Bell Cox fruit on the tree.

FIG. 2: shows a typical collection of mature Cox's Orange Pippin(Bledisloe), the parental plant of Belle Cox.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The distinctive characteristics of this new apple cultivar describedbelow were observed in the 1990 and 1991 seasons on M793 root stock atthe Petitioners' property in Hastings. The trees were in their secondyear of fruiting.

The colour designations hereinafter set forth are according to theMunsell Colour System using a Minolta colour meter. The fruit of theBelle Cox and Cox Orange Pippin (Bledisloe) were measured for colourafter 10 weeks in cool storage.

Belle Cox is similar to its parent Bledisloe Cox's Orange Pippin but hasbroad red stripes (7.5R3/2) of 50-70% on a yellow green background ascompared to Cox's Orange Pippin (Bledisloe) which is orange shaded witha dull red (10R4/6) thinner stripes of 10-30% on a yellow-greenbackground (10Y7/8). Cox's Orange Pippin (Bledisloe) is essentially thesame as Cox's Orange Pippin save for the fruit colour, in that Cox'sOrange Pippin has proportionally more fruit with a dull red stripe of5-10%. Belle Cox also blooms 5-7 days later than Cox's Orange Pippin(Bledisloe). Belle Cox has a lower incidence of russet and stem endcracking than Cox's Orange Pippin (Bledisloe) which results in a betterpackout (87% in 1992 off applicants' property as compared to 50% forCox's Orange Pipin in the same year).

Tree: Medium vigour, spreading habit; predominance of bearing on spurs;medium spur density; medium to high branching density; on trees of sevenyears of age on M793 root stock, the canopy height is approximately 4meters and the canopy width 3 meters; terminal growth is 1 meter on M793root stock; the trees are annual bearing under a good management regime;medium thinning requirement on M793 root stock; similar productivity toCox's Orange Pippin (Bledisloe).

Dormant one year old shoot (observed in winter on trees at least threeyears old).--Weak pubescence on upper half; medium thickness; fewlenticels; reddish brown colour on the sunny side; medium bud size;pointed bud tip; position of bud relative to axis; adpressed; large budsupport; dormant fruit bud shape (on spurs), conical-ovoid; color ofbark in brown 2.5YR3/1.

Flower: Colour of bud just before the flower opens, deep rose; time offlowering (10% of flowers), medium. Observation of flowers at start ofanther dehiscence, moderately cupped shape; large size; position ofmargin of petals, touching;

Leaf: Medium time of bud burst. (Mature leaves observed in summer whenthey form middle one third of an upright growing shoot on the outside ofthe tree pose of leaf, outwards; medium size; length from 4th to 6thfully expanded leaf, 94 mm; width from 4th to 6th fully expanded leaf;45 mm; medium length/width ratio of blade; concave shape incross-section; serrate indentation of margin; medium glossiness on upperside; weak pubescence on lower side; medium petiole length; smallstipule size; colour of upper side of leaf in May in Hastings is green5GY5/3; colour of underside of leaves in May in Hastings is green7.5GY3/2.

Fruit:

Size.--Large; length 59 mm, breadth 79 mm.

Shape.--Short truncate; asymmetric in side view; no crowning at distalend.

Eye.--Closed; medium size.

Eye basin.--Medium depth; medium width; no ribbing.

Sepals.--Medium length; touching at base.

Stalk.--Short; medium thickness.

Stalk cavity.--Medium depth; medium width.

Skin.--Ribbing, absent; smooth surface; greasiness, absent; crackingtendency, absent; medium skin thickness; yellow green ground colour;colour measurements unable to be taken due to predominance of redstripe.

Over colour.--50-70% striped red over colour (7.5R3/6); low amount ofrusset around stalk.

Lenticels.--Small size.

Flesh.--Firm; white; at harvest medium texture; medium juciness; thecolour at ten weeks in storage is 10Y8/6. The flesh colour of Cox'sOrange Pippin (Bledisloe) at ten weeks in storage is 10Y8/3.

Flavour.--Low sweetness; medium acidity.

Calyx tube.--Short length; medium width; U or V shaped.

Sinus.--Closed.

Distinctiveness of core line.--Medium when observed in cross section.

Aperture of locules.--Open in cross section.

Central cavity.--Absent in cross section.

Ripening.--At Cox's Orange Pippin, in Hastings harvest was between 13February-6 March in 1991.

Seed.--Medium size; brown colour when dry; colour at ten weeks ofstorage is 2.5YR2/3.

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of apple tree which is amutation of the Bledisloe Cox's Orange Pippin variety, substantially asshown and described characterised by its striped red overcolour.